[Steve UK]

Hi all

I have been having lots of conversations over the past few months about quality bodwork & paint jobs. It seems like a very subjective thing. Every time I do a re paint I can always find little things i'm not happy with. I am looking to achieve that perfect job.

My question to you all is : what in your eyes/experience defines a top body/paint job?

I have a show car to do that will be going to the Paris tuning show next year. I have never done a show car that will be on a stand in front of thousands before & I need some advice please. The car will be painted in Alsa Mirra Chrome with a light blue candy over the top!

[shine]

attention to detail is all there is.

[MARTINSR]

Have you tested that color out? I would do a large panel and see what it looks like out in the sun and under floresent lights. I don't know, I have a feeling it isn't going to be as nice as I first thought. The "Sparkle" of the flake under a dandy is what makes it come alive. I don't know if the reflection of the "Mirra Chrome" is going to "come thru". I know you certainly won't be able to apply more than a couple of coats of candy or for sure it will be buried.



Shine said it all, the second I read your thread topic I was just going to write DETAIL. The funny thing about detail is that it is free, it requires very little talent, all you need is time. Yet, it is the most forgotten thing, EVEN when the guy has the time!

Let me put it this way, in one (we are talking prestegious, indoor car show) show that we put my brothers roadster in, it was in the most competitive class, "Altered Street Roadster". There were 13 cars with the first place car being about $250,000.00 with a display that cost more than my brothers car! In talking to the judges afterward we were told that the paint (including frame) on the winning car was as close to perfect as they had ever seen, without a doubt the best paint job they had ever judged. The painter had 1750 hours in it!! So you don't have to get your pen and paper out, the painter got $65,000 at 37 bucks an hour to do it! We proudly came in sixth by the way.

On a nice car you BLOCK the door jambs, you make sure every single seam is flawlessly straight, you guide coat the primer and make sure EVERY SINGLE speck of the guide coat is gone, on every single square inch of the car including floors, firewall, door and trunk jambs, even where you will never see it!

Then it is cut and buffed the exact same way.

Brian

[Steve UK]

thanks for those replies. Brian, do you have any pics of your brothers car I could look at please.

[BondoKing]

Originally Posted by Steve UK

My question to you all is : what in your eyes/experience defines a top body/paint job?

it is as already stated attention to detail... and of course a flawless flat finish.. Read this for the best paint job possible, and since it is going on display you will be buffing the fire out of this thing... Make sure you buy lots of clear

http://southernpolyurethanes.com/perfect%20paint.htm


Matthew

[baddbob]

The project needs to start out with a very detailed plan. Each step has to be carried out to perfection, starting with the raw shell and frame all the way through to the buffing stage and final assembly. If your shop puts total concentration into the job you'll get good results. Fitting all parts, perfecting panel alignment and many trial assemblies are necessary. If one thing is done half assed during one of the steps the whole job will be less than perfect. Quality, proven materials must be used. You can search for a person who is good in all areas of repair or use specialists and hopefully they work well together. Perfect is unarguable subjective to opinion, but when I see perfection I know it .

What make and model of car?

Your idea of putting candy over the Alsa Mirro chrome should work just fine, the reflection should be great IMO, similar to a colored anodized look or more reflective. The Mirro Chrome is a lacquer based product if I'm not mistaken so make sure you do the research and verify all products used are compatible.

If you're after a perfect color match from panel to panel the car will need to be sprayed complete depending on bodystyle, then disassembled to blend in the edges and jambs, then sanded and recleared apart, then blocked and buffed. There's a lot of steps if you're after perfection. Good luck with the project, Bob

[MARTINSR]

Originally Posted by Steve UK

thanks for those replies. Brian, do you have any pics of your brothers car I could look at please.

Steve, click on the link and go to third page for a number of photos.

"Basics of Basics" Photographing your car (click here)

We put a friends Model A in the same show (Grand National Roadster show) the next year in the "street coupe" class. It was a very detailed car as well. It was a 13 year old car with about 15,000 miles on it. We freshened it up with a full polish, some touch up here and there. It came in first,winning over a nice, brand new (build) 34 Ford that had never seen a street!

Detail PAYS

Brian

[Steve UK]

mm, im gettin the picture now.

The car is a Nissan 300ZX fitted with 350Z arches(modified). It is having a engine change to a V8 non turbo unit & will also be fitted with hydraulic or air suspension units. The normal ride hight is three inches from the ground but the suspension will need to be lifted for some UK roads(damn speed bumps). All done it should look great, we are painting the roof black so the car will have like a dark look from the lower front screen right through to the lower rear screen.

I have to say guys, I really apreciate your input. I have been repairing cars for years but still dont feel like I have reached my full potential. The 1953 black Jag I did was a lesson to me. I thought it was ready for the final spray, I put a few good coats of black on & it looked a bit rippley. I decided to re block the whole job & boy the minor ripples were everywhere. Now I paint every top job black & re block before the final paint!!

[baddbob]

I've heard of people painting cars black first for inspection but have never done it, that's definately an extra step but in your case it'll be required using the Alsa Mirrochrome so when she looks perfect in black it'll be ready for the Alsa. Pray to God you won't have to do any repairs. Bob